


Disarray

by lionofwrath



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Blood, M/M, Romantic Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-25
Updated: 2016-06-25
Packaged: 2018-07-18 06:05:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,362
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7302499
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lionofwrath/pseuds/lionofwrath
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hux is injured and tries to keep it a secret, Ren finds out.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Disarray

**Author's Note:**

> Written in response to an anonymous ask on tumblr.

Hux clenches his teeth and swears as he peels off the blood-soaked bandage on his side, trying to manoeuvre his head around to see the wound without actually moving enough to cause more pain. The bacta isn’t healing the wound properly and Hux swears again, wondering what the hell the people of this planet use in their weapons. He really should go to one of the med-tents that have been set up for expressly this purpose but he’s all too aware of how weakened the First Order will look if it’s known that the general is injured. Moral is always a concern in protracted campaigns and the troops need him to be strong and infallible. So he will be.

Hux rewraps the wound carefully, telling himself it’ll be fine, it’s superficial, and wouldn’t even be a problem if it stopped bleeding. He fixes his hair and his uniform to unrumpled perfection before he steps out of the refresher, a side benefit of wearing black is that any seeping blood is less obvious. No one takes any notice of the telltale signs that he’s positive he’s letting slip through, his gait shortened slightly, the way his breath hisses out in pain sometimes, how pale he is. They don’t notice because he doesn’t let them, they’re far too busy with their own duties, he’s made sure that everyone is doing their part, they are engaged in a battle after all.

 

There’s a noise at the entrance to his makeshift office and he glances up from the latest reports, knowing full well that it’s Ren even before he lays eyes on the knight, no one else would have the impertinence to arrive unannounced. As much as he dislikes Ren, Hux can’t fault that the knight isn’t putting in more than his fair share of fighting, the man looks exhausted and bloody, his helmet long since lost in a skirmish. ‘What, Ren?’ Hux asks, and if it lacks his usual biting tone, well, this war has taken a toll on both of them.

‘The second east sector is clear.’ Ren’s voice is rough from too little sleep but there’s a note of triumph in his tone.

Hux will allow him that if the sector truly belongs to the First Order, but he narrows his eyes anyway. ‘I’ll need confirmation-’

The knight waves a hand and cuts him off. ‘Send your sweep teams out, you’ll see.’

‘Alright.’ Hux drops his gaze to his datapad, issuing orders remotely. He’s tired by the time he’s finished, his side throbbing and his head aching almost as badly. The pain in his head only increases when he looks up again and finds Ren still standing there. ‘What, Ren?’ This time he is annoyed, he needs to go lie down before he passes out right here. He tries to surreptitiously press a hand to his side, he can feel the wet warmth of blood trickling down his hip, staining his uniform.

Ren’s moving around too much, swaying from side to side and blurring around the edges and Hux frowns, tries to tell him to stop doing whatever Force shit he’s using but the words don’t sound right when he says them, his tongue thick and clumsy and then he’s staring at Ren’s boots as they rush towards his face and he’s flinching back from the expected kick.

‘Hux?’ There’s a soothing hand on his forehead, brushing his hair back as the world shifts dizzyingly around him again. He closes his eyes so he won’t throw up, pressing into the touch because it’s a spot of not-pain in the ache of his body. ‘Shit, Hux, what’ve you done?’ The voice is deep and lovely, but so worried and he tries to speak, to tell that wonderful voice that he’s fine but he still can’t manage proper words. His uniform is tugged off gently and warm, blood-slick fingers search around the edges of the bandage, easing more of the pain as they caress his skin. ‘Oh, Hux.’ The wonderful voice is sad now and he nuzzles into the solid warmth next to his head, trying to reassure it that he’s fine, really, and then he has the peculiar sensation that he’s falling but there’s no ground beneath him… 

 

The first thing Hux sees when he opens his eyes is Ren’s face staring down at him. It’s something he had nightmares about when he first met Ren, that expressionless mask hovering over him, telling him that Snoke had declared him useless and Ren had been given the pleasure of killing him. This is different though, Ren’s not wearing his mask and his face is far from expressionless, he’s worried, unhappy, and there’s a tenderness in his eyes that seems to be directed at Hux. ‘Ren…’ He trails off as he finally looks past Ren’s gaze and sees the situation he’s in. Small bed, white sheets, and Ren is already turning away from him to shout for a doctor. Hux takes advantage of Ren’s inattentiveness to probe at the wound on his side, it feels numb, bandaged properly and there’s no blood leaking out.

‘Don’t play with that.’ Ren says sharply as his head snaps back to Hux, his long hair falling in his eyes.

They’re both silent as the doctor examines Hux, waiting until she leaves before Hux speaks again. ‘Why did you bring me here? The troops can’t know-’

‘I don’t care! You were dying!’ Ren’s vehement scream shocks Hux into temporary silence. The knight is riled up now, fists clenching in anger, one of them twitching as if he’s about to go for his lightsaber, but there’s fear in his eyes too.

‘I’m fine.’ Hux protests, realising the obvious fallacy of the statement even as he says it but he’s not going to back down from Ren.

Ren stares at his hands in fascination. ‘You were bleeding so much. It was on my hands…’ He swallows audibly as he raises his eyes back to Hux’s. ‘You stupid, stubborn bastard. I thought I was going to lose you.’ Ren’s eyes go wide, his mouth dropping open in horror at what he’s said.

Hux is equally shocked, the words carried an affectionate warmth that he’s never heard from Ren, but there’s no mistaking how clearly they’re directed at Hux.

‘I’m sorry.’ Ren shakes his head, steps back. ‘Forget I said that, I’m leaving.’

‘Ren.’ The ice in his voice freezes Ren in place, the knight unwillingly swiveling his gaze back to Hux. He chooses his next words carefully, not an easy task in his current condition. ‘If you leave I will get out of this bed and hunt you down. Get back over here.’ Hux points imperiously to the chair next to his bed and Ren obeys, slinking over to sit timidly where Hux ordered him to. ‘Why would you be upset if you lost me?’

‘Because.’ Ren hedges.

Hux narrows his eyes in warning and Ren sighs. He moves faster than Hux can breathe, fitting their mouths together so perfectly that it feels like they were made for each other. Hux moans, opening his mouth for Ren’s tongue, taking the opportunity to grab at dark hair, testing and confirming a theory he has of how soft it is. It must be the blood loss that’s making him so foolish, he’s already chiding himself for letting Ren melt onto him, a hand running down his arm to clasp Hux’s fingers. Ren’s cautious with his weight though and as Hux starts to feel even more light-headed from Ren stealing his breaths, the knight finally stops. Loss spikes into him, the feeling unexpected and unwelcome and Ren tangles their fingers together again, resting his head lightly against Hux’s shoulder as if he knows Hux wants him close.

‘We need to discuss this.’ Hux says, trying desperately to maintain some composure and reason.

‘Now?’ Ren whines into his arm.

‘No, not now.’ His hand grips Ren’s tighter. ‘For now just stay with me.’ He lets his head drop sideways onto the top of Ren’s as the knight nods, dark hair tickling his face, but it’s not distracting enough to keep Hux from drifting into a peaceful, healing sleep.


End file.
